Helmet construction



March 20, 1945. c. F. SCHOLL ETAL HELMET CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheet-Sheet 1 Filed March 6, 1942 V57 J15 (mm/m F JCHOZL PA YMO/VD W 55 GMAN March 20, 1945. c SCHQLL ETAL I 2,371,712

HELMET coNs'rRucTIofq Filed March 6, 1942 2 SheetsSheet 2 Patented Mar. 20,1945

HELMET CONSTRUCTION Charles F., Scholl, Chicago, and Raymond W. Bergman,"'Lockport, Ill., assignors to The Scholl Mfg. Co., Inc., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of New York Application March 6, 1942, Serial No. 433,572

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in helmet construction, and more particularly to a new and novel internal construction for helmets, highly desirable for use in connection with substantially any type of helmet such as those worn by soldiers, policemen, firemen, underground workers, football players and participants in other types of sporting events, etc., although the invention may have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, in all cases of which we are aware, helmets, and especially military helmets, have been constructed with the internal structure or lining fixed in position within the helmet casing. This was of particular disadvantage in that the lining could not be removed for cleaning, delousing, or repair. Further, in helmets of the type heretofore made, the lining and the sweat band were a certain definite size, and it was necessary for a user to be fitted with a helmet of the proper size, that being in itself a laborious and timeconsuming task as well as requiring the stocking of numerous helmets of all different sizes, thus interfering particularly with rapid mass production and adding materially to the expense of providing helmets. In addition, it may be mentioned that military helmets, as wellgas others, as manufactured heretofore were frequently uncomfortable after a time of continued wear owing to the pressure of hard spots against the head, such pressure resulting from the use of rivets and other similar structural items in the manufacture of the helmets.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a helmet in which substantially all of the internal structure or lining may be completely removedat will forcleansing, repairs or replacement.

A further feature of this invention resides in the provision of a helmethaving an adjustable sweat band which, by a simple adjustment easily made by the user, may be made to fit any one of .a plurality of differently sized heads.

Still a further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a helmet having an interior neck band, also adjustable to properly contact any of a plurality of differently sized heads.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a helmet having a removable lining, which lining is held in place within the helmet in such a manner and by such means that a blow upon the outside of the helmet in any general downward direction tends to more firmly tighten the lining in position.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a helmet in which the lining is held in position by simple slide and snap fastening means which are readily operable by any user of the helmet.

It is also a feature of this invention to provide a helmet in which the lining embodies an adjustable sweat band, 30 secured to the other portions of the lining as to permit adjustment of the sweat band relative to the other portions of the lining so that even after adjustment, there is still an even balanced relation between the sweat band and the remainder of the lining which maintains the helmet casing evenly spaced from the head in all directions.

Still a further feature of this invention resides in the provision of a helmet in which rigid securing means are used in the internal construction, but which is provided with suitable cushioning means to avoid contact of such rigid securing means with the head and to eliminate any objectionable pressure from such means even after considerable continued wear.

construction, highly durable, comfortable to a helmet embodying principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view through the helmet of Figure 1 taken substantially as indicated by the section line II-"II- of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlargement of the lower left-hand portion of Figure 2 illustrating in section the fastening means for holding the I lining in position within the helmet casing shipbetween the two parts;

' moved from the helmet casing;

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line VII-VII of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line VIII-VIE of Figure 1.

As shown on the drawings:

By way of example, a, military type helmet ha been illustrated and described herein, although it will be appreciated that other and various types of helmets may embody principles of this invention.

In the illustrated embodiment of this invention, there is shown a substantially pot-shaped protective casing I, preferably designed to cover substantially all of the skull with the exception of the face. At the forward portion thereof, the casing includes a relatively short visor 2 and to the rear of the visor on each side the casing curves downwardly as indicated at 3 to shield the side of the head including the major portion of the ears. At the rear, the casing drops downwardly to a portion indicated by numeral 5 which extends to the back of the neck of the user, shielding the base of the skull.

The casing I may be made of any suitable material, such as fibre, plastic, etc., although, if so desired, this casing may be made of protective metal. However, in connection with military usage, it is deemed more desirable to make the casing I of fibre or plastic or some equivalent light substance which not only affords some protection, but is so light in weight that it may be worn for long periods of time without any discomfort. Then, when the soldier or other wearer of the helmet arrives at what may be termed a danger zone, a hardened steel shell is nested over the casing I, the steel or metallic shell having been carried in a pack or otherwise until the danger zone has been reached. Of course, in the case of iron workers, underground workers, sport participants, etc., the casing I may be made of suitable material to afiord all of the protection intended, without the use of any additional shell nested over the casing.

Within the casing I is a lining construction designed to prevent contact of the wearer's head with the casing except when the casing is struck a rather severe blow sufiicient to overcome the resistance of the lining. In other words, while the helmet is being worn comfortably by a user, as will more fully later appear, the casing I is maintained in spaced relationship to the head of the wearer at all points. The lining is preferably made up of a number of straps, of suitable fabric, leather or equivalent material. A plurality of strap members, in the illustrated instance three, form the. cap portion of the lining, including straps 5, 6 and 1. its ends connected at spaced points to a circumscribing strap 8. The end connections of the straps 5, 6 and I with the circumscribing strap 8 are preferably spaced substantially equidistantly around the circumscribing strap, as seen best in Figure l. The intermediate portion of each of the straps 5, 6 and I is caught in a fold as indicated at 9 by a flexible cord III or thd equivalent which may be tied with any desired degree of tightness, depending upon the distance desired between the top of the head and the top portion of the casing I. Tightening of the cord Each of these straps has as /mas t it results in a rurther spacing of the cap portion defined by the straps 5, t and I from the casing I, while loosening the cord 50 permits the cap portion defined by the straps to approach closer to the top of the casing I.

The free ends of the straps 5, G and 1 are joined to the circumscribing strap 8 as well as being removably connected to the casing I at spaced intervals by slide fastening means now about to be described. Each point of connection is the same as the other point, and with reference more particularly to Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5, it will be seen that the free end of strap 6 is connected to the strap 5 by means of a male slide fastening element ii on one side of the juxtaposed strap, a plate I2 on the opposite side, and a pair of rivets Iii-43 passing through both the fastening element II and plate I2 as particularly seen in Figure 3. Now with reference to Figures 4 and 5, it will be seen that the rivets I3--I8 pass through a raised central portion Id of the fastening element II. This fastening element II is slidable within a female fastening element I5 ,riveted or otherwise secured as indicated at IB-IIS to the casing I. Again, with reference to Figures 4 and 5, it will be seen that the female slide fastener I5 includes a pair of side flanges I'I-II turned over in spaced relationship tothe body portion, so as to form a channel for the reception of the male slide fastener II outside of the raised central portion M. It will be further noted that the slide fastening elements II and I5 are of complemental keystone shape so that arelatively tight fit results when the element II is slid in the channel formed by the flanges I1-I'I'.

It will be noted that the fastening elements are mounted in what may be termed inverted position, that is, the larger or wider end of each of these elements is in the downward position so that when the strap 8 and strap end 6 are connected with the casing I, the connecting movement is upward. To facilitate the insertion of the fastening element II in the element I5, the flanges I'I-Il are foreshortened as indicated at I8, thereby permitting the narrow end of the element I I to engage the body portion of the element I5 above the flanges l|-l| and thus assist a very facile engagement. To assist in maintaining the fastening elements I I and I5 in closed position, the element I5 is provided with a raised detent I9 near its narrow end, and the element ii is provided with a complemental recess 20 for a somewhat snap action engagement.

It should be particularly noted that with all of the slide fastener attachment points opening downwardly, the entire structure is such that any blow in a generally downward direction upon the outside of the casing I tends to tighten the lining within thecasing. Thus, it requires a definite blow in a most unusual direction to knock the helmet askew or dislodge it from the head of the wearer. I

Carried by the lining above described, is an adjustable sweat band 2| which is preferably made of leather or equivalent material, and, as seen more clearly in Figure 8, may be a strip of such material folded longitudinally so as to provide a double thickness sweat band with the two layers cemented together if so desired. The sweat band 2| is not completely circular, but is in the form of a strap to one end of which a double loop buckle 22 is attached, and the other free and may be engaged in the buckle around the inner loop, and after the desired degree of adjustment is made, may be tucked in behind the of attachment of thestrap 8 to the casing I.

From reference toFigure 1 it will be seen that the points of attachment between the strap 8 of the sweat band, it will be seen that a portion of relatively. fixed. contour, between the snap members 24-24, is provided to overlie the forehead of the wearer, whilein all of the other portions the sweat band may freely slidealong the strap 8 when tightened or released by manipulation of the buckle 22 so that the entireconstruction is always in balance regardless of the head 7 size of the particular wearer.

and the casing l are so spaced that the strap passes directly from attachment point to attach-- .mentpoint rather than follow the contour of the casing I so that between the points of attachment, the strap 8 is spaced well away from the casing. Consequently, attaching the sweat band to the intermediate points of the strap 8 will maintain the sweat band spaced away from the casing I entirely therearound. In the illustrated instance, the sweat band is connected with the circumscribihg strap 8 at six different points, in the illustrated embodiment, and two of these points are shown as what may be termed fixed connections and the other four are slidable connections so that there will be an equalization of position between the sweat band and the strap 8 whenever the sweat band is adjusted to a different size so that the helmet will be at all times in a balanced condition, regardless of the size of the head for which the sweat band may be adjusted.

In the illustrated instance, the sweat band is connected with the strap 8 at the two forward points by snap fastener arrangements. To this end, female snap members 24 are riveted to the strap 8, while male snap members '25 are riveted to the outside layer of the sweat band 2|, as best seen in Figure 7. In order to prevent any uncomfortable pressure against the head, a pad 26 is positioned between the layers of the sweat band immediately behind the male fastening members 25. felt, sponge rubber, or any suitable material so as to eliminate any uncomfortable pressure against the head resulting from the snap fastener rivets. While these snap fasteners permit ready removal of the sweat band from the circumscribing strap 8, they nevertheless hold these two members in relatively fixed position at the respective points when fastened.

With reference to Figure 8, it will be seen that the side and rear connections between the sweat band and the circumscribing strap 8 embody a stirrup 21 carried by the outer layer of the sweat band, this stirrup having an offset portion 28 which extends through a pair ofopposed slots cut in the outer layer of the sweat band. The forward portion of the stirrup at each end thereof turns inwardly to embrace the circumscribing strap 8, and this forward portion is provided with an opening 29'of sufficient width to permit the strap 8 to be removed through the opening. It is simply necessary to crush or crumple the circumscribing band 8 until one side of it is removed through the opening 29 and then. remove the other half of the hand through the same opening. As in the previous case in connection with, the snap fasteners 24-24, a pad 38 is inserted between the two layers of the band immediately behind the stirrup 21 to avoid any unwelcome pressure against the head of the wearer.

From the above description of the attachment This pad member 26 may be of Of course, it will be understood that if for any reason it is found more desirable, theslide fasteners 21 maybe used all the way around the sweat band in its engagement with the circumscribing strap 8. That is, if so desired, the slide fasteners 21 may be substituted for the snap fasteners 2425 in the two illustrated locations at the forward part of the helmet so that instead of having four slide fasteners and two sets of snap fasteners, using the illustrated embodiment by way of example only, slide fasteners may be used in all six illustrated attachment locations.

The internal structure of the helmet also ineludes what may be termed for convenience a neck band. This neck band is positioned in only the rear portion of the helmet, beneath the sweat band and lining structure above described, in position to engage the back of the neck of the wearer below the base of the skull. Such engagement in conjunction with the abutment of the forehead against the forward portion of the sweat band provides stability to the helmet so that it is difiicult to tip the helmet when on the head of a wearer. This construction is advantageous when the weight of some of the helmets now used is taken into consideration, so that a man may readily bend over without any danger of losing his helmet.

In this instance, the neck band is also made adjustable so as to accommodate any of a plurality of different head sizes. To this end, the band includes a rear strap 3| which is attached to the casing l in the same, manner as above described in connection with the circumscribing strap 8, namely, by slide fastening members ||-|5. shorter neck-engaging strap 32, which is preferably of leather or thesame. material as the sweat band. This neck-engaging band 32 is attached to the rear band 3| by means of snap fasteners 24-45 as above described in connection with the forward part of the sweat band. In this instance,

- however, one or more extra sets of female snap tive wearer, it is simply necessary for the wearer band, as above described, and a further simple elements 24 are provided adjacent one end of the neck engaging band 32, so that this band may be selectively engaged with a desired set of female I snap members consistent with the head size of the particular wearer.

In operation, the present invention is extremely simple and highly satisfactory. In the first instance, it is not necessary to keep on hand a supply of helmets of all different sizes since, with the present invention, one, two, or possibly three different sizes should be amply sufficient to satisfactorily fit all head sizes. In other words, large and small helmets may be kept in stock, or possibly large, medium and small helmets may be kept in stock.

When a, helmet is issued or sold to a prospecto accept the helmet with all internal structure therein, and by a simple adjustment of the sweat adjustment of the neck band, make the helmet fit his head to a very precise degree. Such adjustability of the internal structure or complete Connected with the rear strap 3| is a lining of. the helmet provides an added advantage in the case of military usage. For example, one soldier having a helmet defective for some reason, such as a worn lining, an injured outer casing, etc., may pick up another helmet previously worn by a fallen comrade on the battlefield, and by a simple adjustment mak that helmet which was first issued to him.

It will also be noted that when it is desired to clean the helmet, the entire internal construction, with the exception of the male portion l5 of the slide fasteners, may be removed completely from the casing I. It is a simple expedient to of the socket provided by the male member I5, and remove not only the neck band in this fashion but also the lining and sweat band. After removal, the sweat band may be very easily separated from the circumscribing strap 8, or, if it is desired only to remove the sweat band, the sweat band may likewise be separated from ing strap remains within the casing. To this end, the entire internal structure of the helmet may be thoroughly cleaned, deloused, repaired, and readily replaced within the casing. Likewise, another advantage is present in this construction. A new complete lining or internal construction may be readily placed in a, used casing, or a used lining, but still good, may be removed from a defective casing and placed within a new casing. It will also be noted that in the same manner a new sweat'band may be substituted for a worn sweat hand without disturbing the remainder of the lining or internal structure of the helmet, and a new neck-engaging piece 32 may be substituted for an old neck-engaging piece without the replacing of the rear band 8! since all of these parts are separable from their respective carrying parts.

From the foregoing, is is apparent that we have provided a novel helmet construction wherein the entire internal construction of the helmet is readily removable for cleansing or replacement, the internal structure is readily adjustable so that the helmet may fit any of numerablepdifierently sized heads, unwelcome pressure against the head fit his head Just as satisfactorily as the helmet.

slide the female portion ii of the fasteners out the circumscribing strap 8 while the circumscribis eliminated, and the helmet when worn is at all times comfortable and stable upon the head. It will also be noted that the helmet'is of highly durable construction, economical to make and use,

and provided with an added economy due to the 'ing means in said casing, and readily releasable slide fasteners securing said lining to said casing, said casing extending below said lining means entirely therearound, and said slide fasteners being substantially wedge-shaped with upwardly converging side edges and so disposed that generally downward pressure on the outside of said casing tends to tighten said slide fasteners.

2. A helmet, including a protective casing, lining means in said casing so arranged as to contact said casing only at intervals and otherwise remain spaced therefrom, and an adjustable sweat band connected to the spaced portions of said lining by slip means to permit equalization between the sweat band and lining when the band is adjusted to a different size.

3. A helmet, including a protective casing, strap lining means in said casing so arranged as to contact the casing onlyat intervals and otherwise remain spaced from the casing, an adjustable sweat band, and both fixed and slidable attaching elements joining said sweat band only to the spaced portions of said lining means.

4. A helmet, including a protective casing. a lining in said casing including a circumscribing strap, and a sweat band attached only to said circumscribing strap by slidable means at spaced points therearound, said mean permitting relative movement between the sweat band and said strap.

CHARLES F. SCHOLL. RAYMOND W. BERGMAN. 

